The Android operating system maker has responded by leveling similar accusations against Apple and Microsoft and suing both of them. The issue, according the the FTC, is that most of Google's patents (via subsidiary Motorola Mobility) were wireless and video codec patents developed as part of industry standards. Certain laws and regulations exist that typically prevent such patents -- known as "fair reasonable and non-discriminatory" (FRAND) patents -- from being used in litigation.

In other words, Google may want to defend itself with those patents, but in doing so it may be breaking U.S. laws.

After months of investigation, the formal decision of the five-member government panel will likely land before the end of the year; FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz promised that back in September. The possible outcomes include dropping the case, negotiating a settlement with Google, or suing Google -- as the new staff report allegedly suggests.

The U.S. government is not pleased with Google's litigation regarding FRAND patents.
[Original Image: Cayusa/Flickr; modifications: Jason Mick/DailyTech]

Google commented to Reuters, "We take our commitments to license on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms very seriously."

As the nation's eighth largest company by market value and with dominant positions in the smartphone operating system, email, maps, and search markets, it's perhaps inevitable that Google would run afoul of antitrust regulators. This is actually Google's second run-in with the FTC this year; in August it settled to the tune of $22.5M USD a suit regarding overriding privacy settings in Apple's Safari browser.

Welcome to business on planet Earth. Companies build of the ideas that work from other companies. It's been that way since the dawn of civilization. If not, we would have one car company, Ford. You cant own an entire industry becasue you made a breakthrough product. If that was the case, there would be one smartphone maker - Palm, becasue they did it first.

All companies do that and always have. It's perfectly fine. The only wrong thing going on here is Apple acting as if they are above it all. They copy as much if not more than the companies they claim copy from them.